COTABATO CITY – Two more patients, including a 68-year-old female, have been found positive of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) in Region 12 (Soccsksargen), raising the total number to three, the Department of Health (DOH-12) reported Wednesday.
The first Covid-19 positive patient referred to as Patient 145 (PH145) has already recovered and happily left the Cotabato Regional and Medical Center here over the weekend, according to Dr. Helen Yambao, the Cotabato Regional and Medical Center chief of hospital.
PH145, a 32-year-old Islamic missionary who attended a religious gathering in Malaysia, has returned to his hometown in Lanao del Sur and is now with his family. He was one of the 215 preachers from the Philippines who attended the religious event in Kuala Lumpur where a spike in Covid-19 positive patients was noted.
The second Covid-19 positive patient, PH 600, is an 87-year-old male from Sultan Kudarat who was first diagnosed to have died of acute respiratory failure and community-acquired pneumonia last March 14 in Tacurong City. However, throat swab results later indicated that PH 600 tested positive from Covid-19. Contact tracing is now being undertaken by DOH-12 following the positive result on PH 600.
Meanwhile, a 68-year-old female who has travel history to Manila was also tested positive of Covid-19. She was the third Covid-19 positive patient in the region.
In a statement on Tuesday, however, the Department of Health-Soccsksargen said the patient is now in stable condition and on strict home quarantine.
Arjohn Gangoso, DOH -12 health education and promotion officer, explained that the patient who arrived from Manila to Cotabato City on March 12 was admitted to the hospital and was categorized as a person under investigation (PUI) for having cough and slight fever.
When asked why she is on home quarantine when she was tested positive of Covid-19, Gangoso said her condition had improved while in the hospital and was allowed to return home after swab samples were taken from her.
“The results showing she was positive of Covid-19 was only received by DOH-12 on Wednesday (March 25),” Gangoso said.
As of Wednesday, Region 12 has 96 PUIs and 3,614 patients under monitoring (PUMs). (PNA)
